Pick-up trucks have truck beds that are used to transport a wide variety of objects. Pick-up truck beds normally provide an undivided area that receives objects that may be tied down with ropes, bungee cords, and the like. Tying down objects is time consuming and, if the objects are not properly secured, they may become unsecured during transit, loading or unloading.
Attaching magnets to objects to be stored in or on a truck or other vehicle is proposed in US 2012/292359. A permanent magnet is proposed to be attached to a container or truck bed divider to hold the object in place during transit. The publication also discloses the concept of providing a magnet embedded in the truck box floor or in a bed liner. One problem with this approach is that the magnetic force holding the object in place also resists unloading objects from the truck bed so the degree of magnetic force provided must be limited to allow unloading. Limiting the magnetic force holding the object increases the risk that the object may become dislodged during transit or in a collision.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,172,309 discloses a magnetic bar attached to the rear edge of a truck bed for preventing metal objects such as nails or screws from falling off the back of the truck bed. The magnetic bar attached to the rear edge of the truck bed as disclosed is not intended to secure objects to be transported but is intended to prevent nails or screws from falling off the truck bed. The magnetic force of the permanent magnet is constant and no mechanism is disclosed for changing the magnetic force applied by the magnet.
This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems as summarized below.